Tag Archives: rights

World News in Brief: Inter-ethnic violence in Syria, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, global information security

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The violence erupted two days after a Druze merchant was abducted on the highway to Damascus.

The incident marks the latest episode of sectarian bloodshed in Syria, where fears among minority groups have surged since Islamist rebels toppled former dictator Bashar al-Assad in December and installed a new caretaker Government, which is gaining increasing international recognition.

Those targeted include the Druze sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam.  

UN voices ‘deep concern’

On Monday, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, expressed “deep concern” over these reports and urged authorities and stakeholders to “take immediate steps to protect civilians, restore calm and prevent incitement.”

She also underscored the need for inclusion, trust-building and meaningful dialogue to advance a credible and inclusive political transition in Syria.

UN human rights chief says ‘wisdom’ of Indigenous Peoples needed in climate change, digital policy upgrades

The UN human rights chief spoke at a high-level political forum on the rights of Indigenous Peoples on Monday.

Underscoring how crucial such forums are to advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples, Volker Türk highlighted developments in Colombia, Finland and Guatemala that have given them more self-determination.

But despite these advances, violations against Indigenous Peoples’ rights continue.

Many still lack formal land recognition, while mining activity, deforestation and large-scale agricultural development often cause environmental destruction.

Indigenous Peoples also experience immense discrimination and face the brunt of climate chaos, Mr. Türk stressed.

Toll on activists

Furthermore, data from the human rights office reveals that 26 per cent of rights activists killed in 2023 and 2024 were Indigenous, largely in the Americas.

Additionally, states are using AI in ways that harm Indigenous Peoples through surveillance, data exploitation and exclusion from decision-making. Türk thus called for human rights-based approaches that uphold Indigenous data sovereignty and self-determination.

The High Commissioner also called for future policies on climate, digital technologies and other areas to “reflect the wisdom and experience of Indigenous Peoples.”

“This is not only essential to respect and fulfil the human rights of Indigenous Peoples,” he concluded. “There is growing recognition that the ideas and approaches of Indigenous Peoples hold important lessons for all of us.”

Guterres welcomes step forward in securing digital technology worldwide

The UN chief Antonio Guterres on Monday, welcomed the adoption by consensus of the UN Open Ended Working Group on Information and Communication Technologies.

It was established in 2020 with a five-year mandate to promote regular institutional dialogue and initiatives focused on keeping digital technologies safe and secure.  

The Secretary-General welcomed the Final Report of 10 July, which summed up the past five years of negotiations, said a statement issued by his Spokesperson.  

It reflects shared views on current and emerging threats, responsible government policies, international law, norms and efforts such as confidence-building and capacity development.  

Call for cooperation

It also establishes a permanent mechanism to continue discussions about responsible State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies, which the Secretary General particularly appreciated.  

“The Secretary-General now calls upon all States to work together through the Global Mechanism to tackle digital risks and ensure these technologies are leveraged for good,” the statement said.  

The Secretary General congratulated the group on its accomplishments, saying the consensus adoption “demonstrates that even in the most challenging international security environment, collective action is still possible.” 

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‘An unending horror story’: Gangs and human rights abuses expand in Haiti

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Left vulnerable, communities then formed self-defence groups and Haitian security forces reinforced their operations and made small gains only to be rebuffed again by gangs.

And at all stages of this cycle, human rights violations are being committed against civilians, according to a report released on Friday by the UN office in Haiti (BINUH) and the UN human rights office (OHCHR).

“Caught in the middle of this unending horror story are the Haitian people, who are at the mercy of horrific violence by gangs and exposed to human rights violations from the security forces and abuses by the so-called ‘self-defence’ groups,” said Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The report also warned about “early signs of criminal governance” in the Centre Department where gangs are beginning to consolidate their gains and act as a de facto governing authority.

Four years of horror

Since 2021 and the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, gang violence has dominated the capital Port-au-Prince which is now 85 per cent controlled by gangs, says the UN.

Over 1.3 million Haitians have been displaced because of this violence, representing the largest displacement due to political upheaval in Haitian history.

Food insecurity among displaced Haitians is rampant, with Haiti one of five countries worldwide which is experiencing famine-like conditions.

As of March 2025, the violence has also expanded into previously untouched areas of the country, specifically the Artibonite and Centre Departments where 92,000 and 147,000 people have been displaced respectively.

The report also noted that recently, gangs have begun to expand beyond central Haiti towards the border of the Dominican Republic, with the apparent goal of controlling key roads through which much of the illegal weapons trafficking is happening.

“The expansion of gang territorial control poses a major risk of spreading violence and increasing transnational trafficking in arms and people,” said Ravina Shamdasani, a UNHCR spokesperson at a briefing in Geneva.

Human rights endangered

Between October 2024 and June 2025, 4,864 people in Haiti have been killed by gang violence. At least hundreds more have been injured, kidnapped, raped and trafficked.

“Human rights abuses outside Port-au-Prince are intensifying in areas of the country where the presence of the State is extremely limited,” said Ulrika Richardson, interim Head of BINUH and UN Resident Coordinator.

While many of these human rights violations – including the denial of the right to life and physical integrity, sexual violence and forced displacement — are being perpetrated by organized gangs, there are also documented human rights abuses at the hands of Haitian authorities.

Specifically, between October 2024 and June 2025, there were 19 extrajudicial executions by security forces in the Artibonite and Centre Departments – 17 of them in Artibonite.

Self-defence groups, which are increasingly prevalent as a result of inadequate State security, have also committed human rights violations, often in the form of lynchings of suspected gang members.

“The human rights violations and abuses that we have documented are further evidence of why Haiti and the international community urgently need to step up to end the violence,” Mr. Türk said.

At this point, there have been no documented human rights abuses committed by the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission authorized by the United Nations and funded and staffed largely by Kenya.

No accountability

The Haitian National Police and MSS have launched multiple operations to regain territory lost to the gangs. While some have been briefly successful, the operations have been unable to maintain a lasting presence or protect local communities, according to the report.

In fact, the report suggests that in the Centre, the situation is trending in the opposite direction with gangs consolidating territorial gains outside the capital and beginning to institute forms of criminal governance.

As a result of this persistent insecurity, judicial operations are virtually at a standstill in the Centre and Artibonite Departments.

“The international community must strengthen its support to the authorities, who bear the primary responsibility for protecting the Haitian population,” said Ms. Richardson.

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Human rights must anchor the digital age, says UN’s Türk

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Digital technologies have the potential to drive progress and strengthen rights, including connecting people, improving access to health and education, and much more.

But the pace of their evolution also poses serious risks, warned Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – from restrictions on free expression and privacy violations to discrimination and growing threats to our shared sense of truth and reality.

“It is precisely in the face of massive change, that we need more human rights, not less,” he said on Monday, addressing a high-level event on the twentieth anniversary of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva.

Prioritising rights

In this time of sweeping change, human rights must be prioritised and used as the blueprint for action.

“States’ legal obligations and companies’ duties to respect human rights offer guidance to tackle disinformation and protect our data from illicit use,” Mr. Türk stressed.

Such guidance also helps counter algorithmic bias, digital hate speech, and fosters trust and inclusive digital decision-making.

Role of WSIS

Founded in 2001, the inaugural WSIS was held in two phases in December 2003 (Geneva) and November 2005 (Tunis).

Since then, the forum has brought together diverse stakeholders to collaborate on digital governance and promote a digital landscape that is people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented.

“[The WSIS] helped create a space for States, technology companies, civil society, and others to harness the power of information and communication technologies for development,” said Mr. Türk.

Looking forward

The High Commissioner stressed that the coming months will see critical decisions on regulating the digital sphere, including new UN mechanisms on AI and data governance.

“We have a window of opportunity to make a difference,” he concluded.

“We must join forces – States, technology companies, international organizations, civil society, and others – to work towards an inclusive and open digital environment for everyone, everywhere.”

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UN rights office urges restraint in Kenya as fresh protests turn deadly

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Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani cited Kenyan police reports of at least 11 deaths, 52 injured police officers, and 567 arrests. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported slightly different figures: at least 10 fatalities, 29 injuries, 37 arrests, and two abductions.

Protests erupted in 16 counties, with police reportedly using live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons.

Ms. Shamdasani also noted reports of looting and destruction of public and private property in several locations.

Crisis escalation

This week’s violence follows the deaths of 15 protesters and hundreds of injuries during demonstrations on 25 June in Nairobi and elsewhere.

Those protests were initially triggered by the anniversary of last year’s anti-tax demonstrations, which left at least 60 deaths and dozens allegedly abducted by the police.

The protests on Monday marked the 35th anniversary of the 1990 Saba Saba protests, which paved the way to multi-party democracy in Kenya.

Call for accountability

Ms. Shamdasani said that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, “repeats his call for all reported killings and other alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law, including with respect to use of force, to be promptly, thoroughly, independently and transparently investigated.”

She noted that Kenyan police announcement of an investigation into the 25 June incidents and added that the UN human rights office stands ready to support national authorities in their efforts, including on the investigations.

She stressed that under international law, law enforcement may only use lethal force when strictly necessary to protect life from an imminent threat.

High Commissioner Türk also renewed his call for calm, restraint, and full respect for the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

“It is essential that legitimate grievances at the root of these protests are addressed,” Ms. Shamdasani said.

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UN Human Rights Council hears grim updates on Ukraine, Gaza and global racism

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Escalating conflict in Ukraine

In an oral update, Ilze Brands Kehris, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, reported a sharp escalation in hostilities in Ukraine.

Civilian casualties have surged, with April to June seeing nearly 50 per cent more deaths and injuries compared to the same period in 2024.

“More than 90 per cent of these casualties occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine,” she said, attributing the spike in part to intensified Russian drone and missile attacks.

Attacks using airburst warheads and repeated strikes on hospitals have instilled “terror and anxiety” among urban populations, she added. A June 16-17 nighttime attack in Kyiv killed more civilians than any other assault in the past year.

While ceasefire negotiations have produced some humanitarian gains – such as the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of deceased soldiers – Ms. Kehris underscored harrowing conditions in detention.

Over 117 former Ukrainian POWs interviewed by the UN rights office, OHCHR, reported torture, including sexual violence, in Russian captivity. Though less widespread, similar abuses have also been documented in unofficial Ukrainian detention facilities, prompting calls for transparent investigations.

The report also noted ongoing human rights violations in territories occupied by Russia, including restrictions on civic space and the exercise of freedom of expression.

“Peace is more imperative than ever,” Ms. Kehris said, reiterating calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in line with international law.

Structural racism and intersectionality

Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, delivered a thematic report focused on intersectionality as a tool for racial justice.

Drawing from experiences of Black feminists and expanded by studies focusing on Dalit, Indigenous, Muslim and Roma community members, the concept of intersectionality was presented as essential to dismantling systemic discrimination.

“Women of African descent, caste-oppressed communities, Roma, Arab and Muslim women, and other marginalized groups are disproportionately impacted due to overlapping forms of discrimination,” Ms. Ashwini said.

Her report detailed how states can integrate an intersectional approach, emphasising data disaggregation, participatory policymaking, legal recognition of multiple discrimination and historical accountability.

Ms. Ashwini highlighted the importance of reparatory justice for communities affected by colonialism and slavery and called on states – particularly those historically complicit – to implement bold reforms.

People search through the rubble of a destroyed building in the central Gaza Strip.

Deepening crisis in Gaza

Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, also reported to the Council, with grim update on Gaza.

She described conditions as “apocalyptic” and reported over 200,000 people killed or injured since 7 October 2023, when Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups attacked Israeli communities – killing at least 1,200 people and taking more than 250 as hostages.

“In Gaza, Palestinians continue to endure suffering beyond imagination,” Ms. Albanese said, describing the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as a “death trap – engineered to kill or force the flight of a starved, bombarded, emaciated population marked for elimination.”

She also accused Israel of using the conflict as an opportunity to test new weapons and technology against the population of the enclave “without restraint”.

“The forever-occupation has provided an optimal testing ground for arms manufacturers and big tech with little oversight and zero accountability – while investors, and private and public institutions have profited handsomely,” she said.

“We must reverse the tide,” Ms. Albanese urged, calling on Member States to impose a full arms embargo on Israel, suspend all trade agreements and investment relation and enforce accountability, “ensuring that corporate entities face legal consequences for their involvement in serious violations of international law.”

Independent rights experts

Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts appointed and mandated by the Human Rights Council – the UN’s highest intergovernmental forum on human rights.

Forming a part of its Special Procedures, Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are mandated to monitor and assess the rights situation in certain thematic or country situations.

They work in their individual capacity, are not UN staff and do not receive a salary. 

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Adhering to bans on mines only in peace time will not work: UN rights chief

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Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine have taken or are considering steps to withdraw from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction – known also as the Ottawa Convention, after the Canadian city where the process was launched.

“These weapons risk causing persistent and long-term, serious harm to civilians, including children,” Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement. “Like other international humanitarian law treaties, the Ottawa Convention was principally designed to govern the conduct of parties to armed conflicts.”

“Adhering to them in times of peace only to withdraw from them in times of war or for newly invoked national security considerations seriously undermines the framework of international humanitarian law.”

A threat to civilians

Anti-personnel mines are one of the two main types of mines and target people – as opposed to anti-vehicle mines. However, because both of these mines are triggered automatically, they result in huge numbers of civilian deaths, especially children.

Their deadly risks linger long after hostilities end, contaminating farmland, playgrounds, and homes, and posing a constant threat to unsuspecting civilians.

Agreed in 1997, the Ottawa Convention prohibits signatories from using, stockpiling, producing or transferring anti-personnel mines due to the threat that these weapons pose to civilians, especially children.  

In the two-and-a-half decades since it was passed, the Ottawa Convention has 166 States parties, has led to the a marked reduction in the use of anti-personnel mines.  

Trends reversing

However, in recent years, these positive trends have begun to reverse with the number of civilians killed and injured by mines increasing by 22 per cent in 2024 – 85 per cent of the casualties were civilians and half of them were children.  

Despite progress, some 100 million people across 60 countries still live under the threat of landmines.

In Ukraine, for instance, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimates that more than 20 per cent of the country’s land is contaminated – amounting to 139,000 square kilometres.

Similarly, landmines remain still a significant threat in Cambodia, decades after the end of the conflict and years of de-mining efforts.

Uphold international law

Mr. Türk urged all parties to the Ottawa Convention to uphold their international legal obligations regarding anti-personnel mines and on non-signatories to join the Convention.  

“With so many civilians suffering from the use of anti-personnel mines, I call on all States to refrain from leaving any international humanitarian law treaty, and to immediately suspend any withdrawal process that may be underway.”  

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Report reveals significant rise in civilian casualties and rights violations in Ukraine

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It covers the period from 1 December 2024 to 31 May 2025, during which 986 civilians were killed and 4,807 injured – a 37 per cent increase compared to the same period the previous year.

“The war in Ukraine – now in its fourth year – is becoming increasingly deadly for civilians,” said Danielle Bell, Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).

“We continue to document patterns of violence that are inconsistent with obligations under international humanitarian law.”

Concern over use of short-range drones

Most casualties occurred in areas under Ukrainian Government control, primarily due to Russian attacks using long-range explosive weapons in populated areas and short-range drones near frontline locations.

Nearly half of all casualties were caused by missiles, loitering munitions and air-dropped bombs in densely populated areas. At least three attacks involved the use of missiles with fragmentation warheads which detonated above ground and scattered fragments across large open areas, killing and injuring many civilians at once.

The use of short-range drones is driving the rise in civilian casualties, the report said. OHCHR verified that 207 civilians were killed and 1,365 injured in these attacks.

Among the deadliest incidents was a Russian drone strike on a civilian bus transporting employees of a mining company to work in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Eight women and two men were killed, and 57 people were injured.

“The high number of civilian casualties from the use of short-range drones, which allow operators to see their targets in real time, raises grave concerns,” Ms. Bell said.

“Our findings strongly suggest a failure to distinguish between civilian and military targets, and to take all feasible precautions to verify the military nature of those targets – or worse, an intentional decision not to.”

During the same period, Russian forces struck at least five hospitals directly. Some of the attacks used multiple loitering munitions, suggesting potential deliberate targeting of the hospitals in violation of international humanitarian law.

Prisoners of war

Serious violations against prisoners of war (POWs) also remain a major concern, according to the report. OHCHR documented credible allegations that at least 35 Ukrainian POWs and one Russian POW were executed during the reporting period.

Staff interviewed 117 recently released Ukrainian POWs and two detained medical personnel, nearly all of whom described being tortured and ill-treated in captivity. This included severe beatings, electric shocks, sexual violence, dog attacks, and deliberate humiliation, often carried out by personnel wearing balaclavas to conceal their identities.

Ms. Bell said the continued brutalization of Ukrainian prisoners of war is not only inhumane, but a serious violation of international law.

“These are not isolated incidents – they point to well-documented patterns of widespread and systematic torture that demand urgent and unambiguous accountability, and measures toward prevention,” she said.

Meanwhile, more than half of the Russian POWs and third-country nationals held by Ukraine also reported abuse – including torture, ill-treatment, threats, and internment in unofficial facilities – which mostly occurred in transit places before arrival at official places of internment.

Rights concerns in Russian-occupied areas

The report highlights ongoing human rights concerns with Ukrainian civilians unlawfully detained by Russian authorities, predominantly in occupied territory. People who have been released described torture, ill-treatment, and dire conditions of detention.

Ukrainians in occupied territory faced increased coercion to adopt Russian citizenship. OHCHR documented over 16,000 homes listed by Russian occupation authorities as potentially “abandoned” and therefore at risk of being confiscated.

Displaced residents faced severe legal and logistical obstacles, as well as security risks, to reclaim their property.

Ukrainian children recruited

Another issue covered in the report is the recruitment and use of Ukrainian children “for sabotage activities of increasing gravity against Ukrainian military objectives.”

The children reportedly were recruited by unidentified actors, likely affiliated with Russia, according to Ukrainian law enforcement authorities. Some of these youngsters were killed or injured, while others are facing prosecution after being enticed via social media to commit arson or plant explosives.

“Using children to commit acts of sabotage or violence exploits their vulnerability and endangers their lives,” Ms. Bell said. “It compounds their suffering by exposing them to violence, coercion, and harsh legal consequences.”

OHCHR also voiced concern over the situation of older people, mainly women, as well as persons with disabilities, who remain at disproportionate risk, particularly in frontline areas.

Many are unable to evacuate due to poverty and limited housing options, while those who can often face long stays in shelters that lack appropriate facilities, or they are placed in institutional settings due to the absence of suitable alternatives.

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Human rights can be a ‘strong lever for progress’ in climate change, says UN rights chief

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Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, High Commissioner Volker Türk asked Member States whether enough was being done to protect people from the escalating impacts of climate change  

“Are we taking the steps needed to protect people from climate chaos, safeguard their futures and manage natural resources in ways that respect human rights and the environment?” asked delegates at the ongoing session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.  

His answer was simple – we are not doing nearly enough.  

Mr. Türk emphasised that while climate change presents dire risks human rights – especially for the most vulnerable – it also can be a strong lever for progress.  

Central to this is a “just transition” away from environmentally destructive activities.  

“What we need now is a roadmap that shows us how to rethink our societies, economies and politics in ways that are equitable and sustainable,” he said.  

The right to decent work 

One of the main avenues through which the Council – UN’s highest intergovernmental body on human rights – examined the connection between human rights and climate change was the right to decent work.

“Because of climate change, the very human right of decent work is fundamentally challenged today,” said Moustapha Kamal Gueye, a senior official at the International Labor Organization (ILO).

He warned that 80 million full-time jobs will no longer exist in 2030 if the world continues its current climate trajectory. More than 70 per cent of the global workforce – 2.4 billion workers – will be exposed to excessive heat at some point on the job.  

These alarming statistics underscored the urgent need for robust social protection systems, including social security, for workers as the climate crisis continues to intensify, Mr. Gueye said. Less than 9 per cent of workers in the 20 most climate-impacted countries have any form of social protection.  

“From a climate resilience perspective, nations are far from achieving the human right to social protection,” Mr. Gueye said. “Investments in social protection need to be scaled up, and this must move from shock-responses to institutionalised and rights-based approaches.”

On a more hopeful note, he added, a shift towards low-carbon economies can potentially generate over 100 million new jobs by 2030. However, he cautioned that, that these jobs may not emerge where others are lost, reinforcing the need for strong safety nets and planning.  

‘Defossilize’ the economy and knowledge

Elisa Morgera, the UN special rapporteur on human rights and climate change, also presented her latest report, which calls for “defossilization” of economies. Phasing out fossil fuels, she said, is the most effective way to reduce climate impacts while protecting human rights.

Of course, this is not a simple task, as Ms. Morgera noted that fossil fuels have invaded all parts of our lives and economies.  

“Fossil fuels are everywhere: in our food systems, in our ocean and in our bodies, including in our brains – in many cases without us knowing or choosing for them to be in our lives,” Ms. Morgera said.  

Ms. Morgera – who is mandated and appointed by the Human Rights Council, and is not a UN staff member – also stressed the need to “defossilize knowledge,” noting how fossil fuel interests have distorted public understanding and attacked climate defenders.

While geopolitical divisions may slow progress, she insisted that action can begin now at every level. “We can nourish hope and share concrete learning that can inspire a course correction, within the current decade, toward a safe climate for all.” 

A people-centred approach

Mr. Türk concluded his remarks reinforcing that a just transition must ensure no one is left behind.

“If we don’t safeguard people’s lives, their health, their jobs and their future opportunities, the transition will replicate and exacerbate the injustices and inequalities in our world,” he said.  

Mr. Gueye echoed that message: “The global climate agenda is a human story and it is about human rights. The ambition that nations and the global community seek cannot be confined to numerical targets and indicators – it must fundamentally be about people.” 

Myanmar human rights crisis deepens as aid collapses, attacks intensify

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In a stark briefing to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described a country gripped by war, repression and deepening suffering.

Since the military coup in February 2021, nearly 6,800 civilians have been killed and over 22,000 remain arbitrarily detained, he said. Humanitarian needs have soared, with nearly 22 million people in need of assistance and more than 3.5 million displaced by conflict.

“The report I am presenting today is about the people of Myanmar and their aspirations for a better future,” Mr. Türk said.

“Despite massive challenges, people from across society are striving to build a peaceful, sustainable, democratic and diverse Myanmar, grounded in human rights.”

A crisis worsened

However, conditions on the ground have only worsened.

Following a 28 March earthquake that killed nearly 4,000 people and left six million in urgent need, the military intensified attacks instead of facilitating relief, Mr. Türk said.

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, documented more than 600 military strikes since the quake – 94 per cent of them occurring during supposed ceasefires – with schools, religious sites and other protected locations frequently targeted.

Situation in Rakhine

The situation in Rakhine state remains particularly dire, with civilians – the minority Muslim Rohingya in particular – caught between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group. In addition, the military’s ongoing obstruction of humanitarian access has worsened an already acute crisis.

Throughout the country, economic collapse and the breakdown of public institutions have compounded the suffering.

Nearly four in five people now live below or just above the poverty line and an estimated 1.3 million have fled the country – many undertaking perilous journeys by land and sea. So far in 2025, nearly one in five people attempting sea crossings in the region have been reported dead or missing.

End violence, ensure accountability

The High Commissioner’s report outlined four key pathways to lay the groundwork for a transition toward a peaceful and democratic Myanmar: justice and accountability, democratic governance; economic reform to serve the people, and sustained international engagement.

Mr. Türk stressed that accountability must begin with the release of all political prisoners and prosecution of those responsible for grave human rights violations.

“It is imperative for the military to immediately end the violence, allow unhindered humanitarian access and release all arbitrarily detained people,” he said.

“Amid the turmoil, planning for a future with human rights front and centre offers people a sense of hope. We owe it to the people of Myanmar to make that hope a reality.”

Millions have lost their homes and livelihoods due to the earthquakes that struck Myanmar in late March.

Independent expert’s alarm

Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation in Myanmar, echoed the High Commissioner’s warnings, raising alarm over a collapse in international humanitarian support and the military’s repression.

“The junta has chosen to use aid as a weapon,” he told the Council.

“I have spoken with humanitarian workers physically blocked at checkpoints and received reports of earthquake survivors evicted from shelters with no place to go.”

Mr. Andrews, who has been appointed and mandated by the Human Rights Council and is not a UN staff member – also warned that drastic cuts in international funding have already had severe consequences.

As of 27 June, the $1.14 billion comprehensive humanitarian response plan for the country is only 12 percent funded and the $275 million addendum for the earthquake response is about 37 per cent.

At a time when the people of Myanmar need an enhanced level of support from the international community, they are getting the opposite, Mr. Andrews said, warning that the cost in human lives and human suffering will soon very likely get “significantly worse.”

“This dangerous trend begs the question – do human rights matter?” he asked.

“Because if human rights matter, if saving the lives of children in Myanmar matters, why are so many governments reluctant to invest even a modest amount of resources to save lives?”

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UN rights office sounds the alarm over forced displacement in the West Bank

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Israeli authorities have stepped up measures to transfer large numbers of people from long-standing Palestinian towns and communities, according to OHCHR’s office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

On 18 June, the High Planning Council in the Israeli Civil Administration issued a directive to reject all building and planning permits submitted by Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, South Hebron Hills, in the area referred by the Israeli authorities as Firing Zone 918.

The decision was based on the grounds that the Israeli army needs the area for “military training,” the rights office said.

Demolitions on the rise

In recent months, Israel has dramatically ramped up home demolitions, as well as the arbitrary arrest and ill-treatment of Palestinians and human rights defenders. This is happening alongside intensifying movement restrictions in and around Masafer Yatta, to force Palestinians out, the office noted.

At the same time, Israeli settlers from nearby outposts have carried out daily attacks and harassment of Palestinians, including older people, women and children, to force them to leave.

“The recent directive by the Israeli Civil Administration effectively paves the way for the Israeli army to demolish existing structures in the area and expel the approximately 1,200 Palestinians, who have been living there for decades,” OHCHR said.

“This would amount to forcible transfer, which is a war crime. It could also amount to a crime against humanity if committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack.”

Some 6,463 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced following the demolition of their homes by Israel between 7 October 2023 and 31 May 2025, according to the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA,

This figure does not include the approximately 40,000 Palestinians displaced from three refugee camps in Jenin and Tulkarem as a result of intensive Israeli operations in the northern West Bank since January.

During the same period, over 2,200 Palestinians were forcibly displaced by settler attacks and access restrictions.

More communities at risk

OHCHR added that countless other Palestinian communities face the same fate of forced displacement. It said that on 10 June, the Jerusalem municipality reportedly issued demolition notices for the entire village of An Nu’man, home to 150 people. 

The village, which is located near Bethlehem, was cut off from the rest of the West Bank by the construction of the separation wall and incorporated into Israel’s unilaterally declared boundaries of the Jerusalem municipality. Most Palestinians were not provided with Jerusalem identification cards, effectively rendering them unable to access services in either East Jerusalem or the rest of the West Bank. 

“These demolition notices appear to be another step by Israel to compound the coercive environment and forcibly transfer Palestinians from the village and consolidate the annexation of this land,” the office said.

Evictions in East Jerusalem

Meanwhile, Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem also face the ongoing threat of forced eviction from their homes and lands. 

OHCHR said that on 16 and 22 June, the Israeli Supreme Court endorsed the eviction of five Palestinian families, 37 people, from their homes in the Batn El Hawa neighbourhood of Silwan based on discriminatory laws that permit Jewish individuals to reclaim property lost in the 1948 war, while denying Palestinians the same rights. 

Additionally, the Israel Land Authority issued eviction notices on 11 June for residencies in Umm Tuba.  The 150 Palestinians affected were informed that the land was registered to the Jewish National Fund under the “settlement of land title”. 

“These evictions form part of a concerted campaign by the Israeli State and settler organisations, which target Palestinian neighbourhoods to seize Palestinian homes and expand Jewish settlements,” OHCHR said.

The office stressed that these acts violate international law, which prohibits the confiscation of private property in occupied territory, as highlighted by the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last July. 

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UN rights mission condemns civilian toll in deadly missile strikes on Ukraine

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At least 24 people were reported killed and over 300 injured – including 32 children – when ballistic missiles struck Ukraine’s Dnipro and Odesa regions on Monday and Tuesday, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said on Wednesday.

The attacks destroyed homes, schools, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure, and left hundreds wounded.

“The attacks struck during the day when civilians were at work, on trains, or at school,” said Danielle Bell, head of HRMMU.

“The timing alone made the high number of civilian casualties entirely foreseeable.”

On 23 June, two ballistic missiles launched by Russian forces hit Lyceum No. 1, a middle school in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Odesa region. Although the school year had ended, staff and students were present for administrative work. The strike killed three educators and injured 14 others, including two boys.

The school, which served over 700 students, sustained critical damage.

No military objective

HRMMU, which visited the attacks sites, reported no evidence of military presence at the school, and people confirmed that no military presence had been stationed there.

“The school in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi was not a military objective,” Ms. Bell said.

“Yet it was hit by two ballistic missiles, killing educators and injuring children.”

The following day, 24 June, missiles struck an industrial area of Dnipro city at around 11 AM local time. The blast shattered windows in nearby schools, hospitals and residential buildings.

HRMMU confirmed that two dormitories were hit, injuring numerous residents. A nearby passenger train was also impacted – windows blown out by the shockwave – injuring more than 20 travellers, according to a UN monitor onboard.

A troubling trend

These strikes followed a series of other attacks in June that have resulted in significant civilian harm, including in Kyiv city on 17 and 23 June, according to the human rights mission.

Civilian casualties in the first five months of 2025 were nearly 50 percent higher than during the same period last year, with increases typically seen during the summer months.

“Ballistic missiles, when used in densely populated areas, cause predictable and widespread harm to civilians, as demonstrated by these recent attacks,” Ms. Bell said.

“The rising civilian casualties reflect the severity of that risk.”

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Gaza: Over 400 Palestinians killed around private aid hubs, UN rights office says

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The alert comes nearly a month since the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) started operating on 27 May in select hubs, bypassing the UN and other established NGOs.

Its food distribution points have been associated frequently with confusion and shooting as desperate and hungry Gazans rush to fetch supplies, said UN human rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Keetan.

“Israel’s militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution,” he insisted. “The weaponization of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life-sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law.”

In its latest update on the emergency, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported that “scores of people of all ages are being killed and injured every day” in the shattered enclave.

“Humanitarian operations of sufficient scale are not facilitated, leaving unaddressed the critical needs of those who have so far survived,” it said.

Shelled or shot 

In Geneva, meanwhile, OHCHR’s Mr. Al-Keetan explained that private aid hub victims were either “shelled or shot” by the Israel Defense Forces. They have endangered civilians and contributed to the “catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza”, he maintained.

At least 93 people have also been reportedly killed by the Israeli army while attempting to approach the few remaining aid convoys of the UN and other aid partners still operating in Gaza.

In a previous alert, the UN human rights office has condemned the possible summary execution of Palestinian staff associated with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation by armed men allegedly affiliated with Hamas.

“These killings must end immediately, and those responsible held to account,” the UN office said in a statement.

Most vulnerable miss out

The OHCHR spokesperson noted that women and children, along with older people and those with disabilities continue to face “multiple challenges” accessing food in Gaza today.

Looting of aid convoys is now commonplace in Gaza after more than 20 months of daily Israeli bombardment as a result of a near-total blockade on humanitarian supplies including food, fuel and medicine.

The result is that Gaza’s most vulnerable individuals are unable to access any of this diverted aid, the UN human rights office told UN News.

To date, at least 3,000 Palestinians have been injured in incidents associated with the non-UN aid hubs and looting.

“Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” the UN human rights office explained.

Ongoing aid obstacles

Although the UN and other aid providers still function in Gaza, they are reliant on the Israeli authorities to facilitate their missions. On Saturday and Sunday, only eight out of 16 requests for humanitarian operations were approved, aid teams reported.

“Half of [the missions] were denied outright, hindering the tracking of water and fuel, the provision of nutrition services and the retrieval of the bodies,” said Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the Information Service at UN Geneva.

Her comments followed a warning from the UN’s top aid official in Gaza on Sunday who described dire scenes and “carnage”.

“It is weaponized hunger. It is forced displacement. It’s a death sentence for people just trying to survive. All combined, it appears to be the erasure of Palestinian life from Gaza,” said OCHA’s Head of Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jonathan Whittall.

Telecommunications have now been restored across Gaza after damaged fibre cables were repaired at the weekend.

“For the first time in days, humanitarian teams have had more than 24 hours of relatively stable connectivity – something that is essential to coordinate emergency relief and save lives,” OCHA said in Monday evening’s update.

But without urgent fuel deliveries, telecommunications “will go down again very soon”, the UN aid wing warned.

Fuel crisis

“Fuel is also needed to keep emergency rooms running, power ambulances, and operate water desalination and pumping stations,” it explained.

“Right now, teams on the ground are rationing what little fuel remains and working to retrieve stocks stored inside Gaza, in areas that are hard to reach.”

Access to Nasser Medical Complex is also limited because there is not enough fuel for transportation “and health workers and patients fear for their safety”, OCHA continued.

“Last week, in Khan Younis, in-patient admissions at field hospitals increased threefold, largely due to access challenges at Nasser, which also saw an influx of trauma patients and has been overwhelmed since.”

Most of Gaza remains under displacement orders issued by the Israeli military, including another one on Monday for two neighbourhoods in Khan Younis city, reportedly following Palestinian rocket fire from these areas.

“These neighbourhoods were already subject to earlier displacement orders and include two hospitals – Al Amal and Nasser,” OCHA said. “While Israeli authorities have clarified that the hospitals are not required to evacuate, OCHA says the designation is nonetheless hindering access to those critical facilities for both patients and medical staff.”

Human Rights Council hears concerns over displacement, genocide risks and migrant trafficking

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Of the record 83 million people internally displaced worldwide, at least 1.2 million were displaced by crime-related violence in 2024 – more than double the 2023 figure – amid a global decline in support for international norms, human rights and the rule of law.

The growing reach of organised crime in driving displacement and rights violations was the focus of a report delivered Monday morning by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Paula Gaviria Betancur.

Driving displacement

As violent conflicts worsen globally, displacement is increasingly driven by the threat of violence or the desire of criminal groups to control territory, resources and illicit economies.

Additionally, in places like Sudan, Palestine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), occupying powers and criminal groups are systematically uprooting communities to alter demographics, treating IDPs as military targets.

“Displacement is no longer just a consequence of conflict – it is increasingly its deliberate objective,” Ms. Betancur warned.

In these regions, either the State enables impunity for violent groups or national security operations worsen the crisis by punishing victims and fuelling further displacement, eroding state legitimacy.

IDPs in these contexts “face grave violations of their human rights,” including “murder, violent assault, kidnapping, forced labour, child recruitment and sexual exploitation,” she said.

“The rise in global displacement is the result of systemic failure – the failure of States and the international community to tackle its root causes,” Ms. Betancur concluded, calling for stronger support for the UN and accountability for criminal groups.

Genocide risks in conflict areas

Virginia Gamba, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, briefed the council on escalating risks in Sudan, Gaza, the DRC and beyond during Monday’s session.

In Sudan, where over 10.5 million have been displaced since fighting erupted in April 2023, both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are committing grave rights violations.

Ethnically motivated attacks by the RSF in certain regions mean “the risk of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan remains very high,” Ms. Gamba underscored.

Turning to Gaza, she called the scale of civilian suffering and destruction “staggering and unacceptable,” noting the conflict has also fuelled rising antisemitism and Islamophobia worldwide.

Hate speech fuelling violence

As attacks on civilians and ethnic violence continue in the DRC, hate speech and discrimination have surged.

But this surge is also occurring worldwide, further exacerbating the risk of genocide.

“Hate speech – which has been a precursor for genocide in the past – is present in far too many situations, often targeting the most vulnerable,” said Ms. Gamba, highlighting refugees, Indigenous peoples and religious minorities.

For genocide prevention, she urged greater efforts to monitor hate speech, expand education efforts, and strengthen partnerships with regional organizations.

“The task of preventing genocide remains critical and urgent—the moment to act is now,” she stressed.

Trafficking of migrant domestic workers

Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Siobhán Mullally, presented her report on the trafficking risks faced by migrant domestic workers.

“The specific nature of domestic work, and weak regulatory responses by States, produce a structural vulnerability to exploitation,” Ms. Mullally said.

The crisis disproportionately affects women, as they make up the majority of domestic workers and 61 per cent of trafficking victims detected globally in 2022.

Conditions of domestic work

Many women from disadvantaged communities are promised jobs abroad, but upon arrival, realise they have been conned. They endure violence, labour abuses and sexual exploitation but are unable to pay the exorbitant penalty for terminating their work contracts.

Ms. Mullally cited the legacy of slavery, gendered and racialised views of domestic work and intersecting discrimination as key factors behind poor conditions and trafficking risks.

Most States lack the political will to enforce labour laws in the domestic work sector, reinforcing this crisis, she said, calling for stronger labour laws, safe migration pathways, bilateral agreements grounded in human rights and an end to the criminalisation of trafficking victims.

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Human Rights Council hears alarming updates on executions in Iran and global civic space crackdown

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At least 975 people were executed in Iran in 2024, the highest number reported since 2015, according to a report Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, presented to the Geneva-based Council on Wednesday. 

Of the total executions, just over half were for drug-related offenses, 43 per cent for murder, two per cent for sexual offenses, and three per cent for security-related charges. At least four executions were carried out publicly. 

“These cases are marked by serious allegations of torture and due process violations, including lack of access to a lawyer,” said Ms. Al-Nashif. 

Violence and discrimination against women

At least 31 women were reportedly executed in Iran last year, up from 22 in 2023. Of the 19 women executed for murder, nine had been convicted of killing their husbands in cases involving domestic violence or forced or child marriage, areas in which Iranian women have no legal protections.

Some executions were reportedly linked to protests that began in September 2022 under the banner “Women, Life, and Freedom.”

Beyond executions, femicide cases surged, with 179 reported in 2024 compared to 55 the year before. Many stemmed from so-called “honour” crimes or family disputes, often involving women and girls seeking divorce or rejecting marriage proposals.

Ms. Al-Nashif also warned that the suspended Chastity and Hijab Law, if enacted, would pose a serious threat to women’s rights. Penalties for violations such as improper dress could include heavy fines, travel bans, long-term imprisonment, or even the death penalty.

In addition, of the 125 journalists prosecuted in 2024, 40 were women, many reporting on human rights and women’s rights issues.

Religious and ethnic minorities

“In 2024, the death penalty continued to have a disproportionate impact on minority groups,” Ms. Al-Nashif told the Council.

At least 108 Baluchi and 84 Kurdish prisoners were executed in 2024, representing 11 and 9 per cent of the total, respectively.

The report also raised concerns over the lack of official data on the socioeconomic conditions of ethnic and ethno-religious minorities and non-citizens, which hampers efforts to assess their situation and measure the impact of targeted policies and programmes.

Looking ahead

While Iran continued engagement with the Office of the UN High Commissioner and other human rights mechanisms, it denied access to the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“Our Office remains ready to continue and build on its engagement with the Iranian authorities on the range of issues highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General for the promotion and protection of all human rights,” Ms. Al-Nashif concluded. 

Global ‘Super Election’ cycle undermined democratic participation

In the Council’s afternoon session, Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, presented her report on how the 2023–2025 “super election” cycle has affected civic space around the world.  

In 2024, half of the world’s population elected their local, national and international representatives. While Ms. Romero’s report on this cycle does not assess the integrity of the elections, it identifies troubling global patterns of systematic repression of the exercise of peaceful assembly and association.

“The misuse of restrictive laws, smear campaigns, disinformation targeting civil society intensified globally in the super electoral cycle, undermining electoral participation and freedom of association,” she said.  

Political repression and violence

As criminal justice systems are used to repress the opposition, leaders and members of political parties faced undue restrictions and political persecution. Civil society activists and election observers have also faced harassment, arbitrary detention, torture and murder.  

“When political parties, civil society, and peaceful assemblies are suppressed, genuine political pluralism and competition cannot exist,” argued Ms. Romero. “I stress that these conditions are incompatible with free and genuine elections and risk legitimising undemocratic rule.”

Minority representation

Ms. Romero also underscored that women’s political leadership remains severely underrepresented, while LGBTIQ individuals and their organizations faced attacks during the super electoral cycle.  

Both groups experienced physical and online political violence, restricting their electoral participation and accelerating the decline of their rights after the elections.

Calls to protect freedoms  

Amid global crises and a rapid democratic decline, Ms. Romero emphasized the urgent need to protect the rights to peaceful assembly and association throughout the entire electoral cycle.  

She outlined key recommendations, including strengthening legal protections before elections, ensuring accountability afterward, regulating digital technologies and promoting non-discriminatory participation throughout.  

“Dissent is a fundamental element of democratic societies,” she concluded in Spanish. “Rather than being suppressed, it should be welcomed and permanently protected.” 

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Civilian deaths in conflict are surging, warns UN human rights office

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At least 48,384 individuals – mostly civilians – were killed in 2024, based on casualties recorded by OHCHR.

“Behind every statistic is a story. Behind every data point, a person,” said UN rights chief Volker Türk.

This alarming rise in civilian deaths exposes major failures to protect some of the most vulnerable in both peacetime and conflict situations, “painting a picture of a global human rights landscape in need of urgent action,” he said.

Human rights defenders

Just over 500 of those killed in 2024 were human rights defenders, with the number of journalists killed also rising by 10 per cent, comparing 2023 to 2024.

The level of targeting of human rights defenders and journalists remained alarmingly high: at least one human rights defender, journalist, or trade unionist was killed or forcibly disappeared every 14 days.

Detentions of rights defenders was most widespread in northern Africa, central, southern and western Asia. Killings were most prevalent in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Alarming rise in deaths of women and children

Violence against children and women in armed conflicts has been devastating over the past two years.

Between 2023 and 2024, approximately four times more children and women were killed in armed conflicts than during 2021–2022.

Women reported experiencing gender-based discrimination at more than twice the rate of men, and the poorest households were hardest hit, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.

“Discrimination does not exist in isolation,” said Mr Türk, as OHCHR’s findings revealed widespread and compounding discrimination, with nearly one in three persons with disabilities reporting having experienced discrimination, compared to fewer than one in five without disabilities.

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UN rights office ‘horrified’ by deadly violence at Gaza food distribution sites

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The UN human rights office (OHCHR) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory on Wednesday called on the Israeli military to cease the use of lethal force near aid convoys and food distribution sites.

It cited “repeated incidents” of Palestinians being shot or shelled while seeking food, warning that such attacks could constitute war crimes under international law.

“We are horrified at the repeated incidents, continuously reported in recent days across Gaza, and we call for an immediate end to these senseless killings,” the office said in a statement.

Hundreds killed

Since 27 May, when the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an initiative backed by Israel and the United States began food distribution in southern Gaza – bypassing the established UN-led system – hundreds have been killed and many more wounded near four distribution points or while waiting to pick up aid.

In one of the deadliest recent incidents, Israeli military reportedly shelled a crowd waiting for UN food trucks in southern Gaza on 17 June, killing at least 51 people and injuring some 200 others, according to Gazan health authorities.

A day earlier, three Palestinians were reportedly killed and several injured in a similar incident in western Beit Lahiya.

“There is no information to suggest that the people killed or injured were involved in hostilities or posed any threat to the Israeli military or to staff of GHF distribution points,” OHCHR said.

Protect civilians, aid workers

The UN World Food Programme (WFP), which has managed to dispatch only 9,000 metric tons of food within Gaza over the past month – a fraction of what is required for the 2.1 million people in need – echoed calls for immediate protection of civilians and aid workers.

“Far too many people have died while trying to access the trickle of food aid coming in,” the agency said in a separate statement.

“Any violence resulting in starving people being killed or injured while seeking life-saving assistance is completely unacceptable.”

Massive scale-up needed

The UN emergency food relief agency said the fear of starvation and desperate need for food is causing large crowds to gather along well-known transport routes, hoping to intercept and access humanitarian supplies while in transit.

“Only a massive scale-up in food distributions can stabilize the situation, calm anxieties and rebuild the trust within communities that more food is coming,” it said, calling urgently for safer convoy routes, faster permissions, restored communication channels and additional border openings.

“The time to act is now. Delays cost lives. We must be allowed to safely do our jobs,” the agency said.

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Iran-Israel crisis: UN rights office appeals for urgent de-escalation

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Israel began targeting nuclear and military sites across Iran last Friday, prompting a barrage of retaliatory strikes on Israeli cities.

“The UN human rights office urges de-escalation and urgent diplomatic negotiations to end these attacks and find a way forward,” said Ms. Al-Nashif. “We are following closely and are aware of reports that many thousands of residents are fleeing parts of the capital, Tehran, as a result of warnings covering broad areas.”

Latest reports from the region indicate that more than 200 people have been killed in Iran and 24 in Israel to date. The violence continued unabated overnight in both countries. 

Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva at a scheduled meeting to discuss Iran’s rights record, the Deputy High Commissioner highlighted serious concerns that populated areas have been hit in the escalation.

“It is imperative that both sides fully respect international law, in particular by ensuring the protection of civilians in densely populated areas and of civilian objects,” she said. “We urge all those with influence to engage in negotiation as a matter of priority.”

Nuclear watchdog update

In a related development, the UN-backed nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday that two Iranian centrifuge production facilities had suffered major damage after being targeted.

“The TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Centre, were hit,” it said in an update. “At the Tehran site, one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested. 

At Karaj, two buildings were destroyed where different centrifuge components were manufactured,” said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Speaking at the Council after the Deputy High Commissioner, Iran’s Permanent Representative of Iran, Ambassador Ali Bahreini, condemned the Israeli strikes: 

“There has been no violation worse than [the] 13 June act of aggression against Iran,” he said, pointing to “continuous blind attacks on residential areas, bombardment of vital supplies, explosion of drinking water resources and reckless strikes on nuclear facilities are immediately impacting the civilians and people of Iran.”

Such “deliberate targeting” of his country’s nuclear facilities risked exposing local communities to a “possible hazardous leak”, the Iranian ambassador continued. “This is not an act of war against our country, it is war against humanity.”

In a short statement to the Council from which Israel announced its withdrawal earlier this year, Mr. Bahreini called for accountability and international condemnation of the Israeli attacks. 

“This impunity must come to [an] end,” he said. “Israel activities are not just against one or two countries. It is acting against all humanity and their actions target all human rights.”

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Israeli actions in Palestinian territories constitute war crimes, Human Rights Council hears

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“The goal of the Israeli government is abundantly clear: the destruction of life in Gaza.”

That’s how Navi Pillay, Chair of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, opened her statement to the 59th session of the Council on Tuesday.

Calling the war in Gaza “the most ruthless, prolonged and widespread attack against the Palestinian people since 1948,” Ms. Pillay addressed the findings of the Commission’s report, released to the HRC on 6 May.

Attacks on educational facilities in Gaza

It found that 90 per cent of Gaza’s schools and universities have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli attacks – including airstrikes, shelling, burning and controlled demolitions.

“With the loss of education, Palestinians are also losing their source of stability, hope and possibility of a future,” said Ms. Pillay.

By not issuing adequate warnings to civilians sheltering inside, these attacks caused extensive casualties, amounting to war crimes, including knowingly launching attacks that caused excessive and disproportionate civilian harm, and the crime against humanity of extermination.

The Commission found no military necessity to justify the destruction of schools, concluding that the intent was to restrict long-term Palestinian access to education.

Notably, while Israeli forces often claimed they were targeting Hamas operatives allegedly based in schools, the Commission verified only one instance of Hamas using a school for military purposes, compared to the systematic Israeli use of schools as military bases.

Education restrictions in the West Bank

Ms. Pillay also warned that education in the West Bank remains under threat. Demolition orders, military raids, restrictions, and operations have significantly reduced school days, while settler violence has endangered students and teachers. The Israeli government has either incited or failed to prevent such violence, she said.

Attacks on religious and cultural sites

In Gaza, Israeli forces have damaged 53 per cent of religious and cultural sites.

Many were being used for refuge or worship, causing further civilian casualties, constituting war crimes and, in some cases, the crime against humanity of extermination.

This completely avoidable damage “has a cascading effect and deeply affects intangible cultural elements, such as religious and cultural practices, memories and history, undermining the identity of Palestinians as a people,” said Ms. Pillay.

Because Israeli forces should have known where these sites were and planned their assaults accordingly, the Commission found these acts constituted war crimes including intentionally targeting historic and religious sites and widespread destruction without military necessity.

Seizure of cultural heritage sites in the West Bank

In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the Commission documented repeated cases of Israeli authorities or settlers seizing cultural heritage sites, displacing Palestinians, excluding non-Jewish history and restricting Palestinian access.

The report highlights increasing restrictions and assaults on Palestinians at Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, a long-standing flashpoint in East Jerusalem.

Ms. Pillay argued that through these actions, “Israel has been using cultural heritage and settlements as leverage for its unlawful territorial claims in the occupied West Bank, in flagrant defiance of multiple United Nations resolutions and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).”

These actions violate international law, including the right to cultural life, freedom of religion, and protection of cultural heritage.

Recommendations

Ms. Pillay concluded her speech by underscoring that Israel’s attacks on education, infrastructure and heritage sites aim to “erode Palestinians’ historical ties to the land and weaken their collective identity, thereby hindering their right to self-determination” and the possibility of a peaceful, sustainable two-State solution.

Accordingly, the Commission calls for Israel to end the unlawful occupation and enable Palestinian self-determination; stop attacks and seizures of educational, religious and cultural sites; end the systematic erasure of Palestinian history; and comply fully with international law, including the 2024 ICJ ruling.

Sudan’s war intensifies amid starvation, rights probe warns

Meanwhile in Sudan, heavy fighting continues to escalate as a “direct result” of the continued flow of arms into the country meaning that the war is far from over, top independent human rights investigators said on Tuesday, ahead of briefing the Human Rights Council.

In an update on the emergency in the northeast African nation, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan highlighted the increased use of heavy weaponry in populated areas – and a sharp rise in sexual violence.

“Many Sudanese are dying from hunger and especially those who have been detained and in detention – they are dying and millions affected,” said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Expert Member of the Fact-Finding Mission.

“In terms of international responsibility, we urge all States to respect and enforce the arms embargo of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1556,” she added.

Humanitarian relief continues to be weaponized and hospitals and medical facilities remain under siege, warned the investigators, whose mandate was established by the Council in October 2023.

Two young women carry water at a site for displaced people in eastern Sudan.

Direct link

“There is a direct link between the flow of arms in Sudan, armed hostilities and the resulting violence amounting to violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations,” said Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission.

“We know the kind of arms that are being used: heavy artillery, modern warfare, drones and in fact, they have escalated.”

Fellow investigator Mona Rishmawi insisted that testimonies gathered pointed to “both sides” continuing to commit war crimes – a reference to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which turned on each other in April 2023, following a breakdown in transition to civilian rule.

Around El Fasher, for instance, civilians have been “assaulted, detained and killed while villages have been attacked, burned and looted” by the RSF. During one RSF attack from 10 to 13 April, more than 100 civilians were reportedly killed, while a SAF bombing in Al Koma killed at least 15 civilians.

Now into its third year, the war has killed tens of thousands of civilians so far, displacing over 13 million Sudanese and subjecting many more to sexual violence, looting and the destruction of homes, health facilities, markets and other infrastructure. 

Crimes against humanity continue, “particularly in the context of persecution of certain ethnic groups”, Ms. Rishmawi insisted.

The result of restrictions to aid relief has been to drive famine, “especially in Darfur”, said the investigators, who are respected human rights experts and not UN staff.

In their latest update to the Human Rights Council, the investigators documented a sharp rise in sexual and gender-based violence, with women and girls subjected to rape, gang rape, abduction, sexual slavery and forced marriage, mostly in RSF-controlled displacement camps.

About UN experts

The members of both the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council.

They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work. 

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DR Congo: Human rights violations could amount to war crimes, UN experts say

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Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council that the investigation and analysis undertaken by his office, OHCHR, had revealed “an apparent total disregard for the protection of civilians during and after military operations.”

The OHCHR’s Fact-Finding Mission in the eastern DRC is also investigating other alleged violations of international humanitarian law, “many of which may amount to war crimes,” he said.  

Arbitrary Arrests

After capturing cities and villages in early 2025, the M23 Rwanda-backed rebels arbitrarily arrested police officers and large numbers of other civilians, including children, the UN human rights office reported.  

According to witnesses, those captured were, and are, still being held in “inhumane conditions,” and many were forcibly recruited into the ranks of the M23.  

The Mission is also investigating alleged arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances of suspected M23 supporters by the military intelligence arm of the DRC armed forces.  

Extrajudicial Killings

OHCHR also reported that members of the M23 carried out summary and extrajudicial executions, which likely amount to war crimes, said Mr. Türk.  

The Mission is also investigating alleged summary executions by members of the DRC armed forces and DRC-backed Wazalendo militias.  

UN human rights is also investigating reports of death threats, detention and other reprisals against human rights defenders, journalists, and members of civil society perceived as critical of the M23; including the alleged killings of at least two activists.  

Sexual Violence

The Mission received reports of “horrific” use of sexual violence by all parties as a means of reprisal against communities, relatives of perceived opponents, and people from other ethnic groups, said Mr. Türk.  

In North and South Kivu, nearly 40 per cent of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence are children. The UN International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) estimated that during the most intense phase of the conflict, a child was raped every 30 minutes.  

Mr. Türk called on “all parties to the conflict to commit immediately to a ceasefire and resume negotiations, and to respect international humanitarian and human rights law.” 

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‘Behind each crisis, people are suffering,’ Türk tells Human Rights Council

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“We are on an indefensible path of escalating conflict and open disregard for international human rights and humanitarian law,” said Volker Türk, addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Offering a global overview, he painted a stark picture of a world in crisis – with surging armed conflict, deepening climate disruption, emerging technological threats, and a worrying rise in authoritarianism.

Spiralling conflicts

Conflicts around the world are spiralling, as civilians are deliberately attacked and starvation and rape is used as weapons of war by parties. Yet, “accountability is often absent,” said Mr. Türk, who heads the office of human rights, OHCHR.  

From Ukraine to Myanmar, conflicts are plunging countries deeper into chaos and lawlessness.  

In Sudan, the number of arbitrary killings of civilians as rival militaries battle for control, tripled between February and April, OHCHR reports.  

In Gaza, “Israel has weaponised food and blocked lifesaving aid,” Mr. Türk continued, calling for an “immediate ceasefire leading to a two-State solution, with Gaza as an integral part of a Palestinian State.”  

Describing the military escalation between Israel and Iran as “deeply worrying,”  Mr. Türk appealed “for de-escalation and urgent diplomatic negotiations to end these attacks and find a way forward.”  

“This violence must end,” he said.  

Civil society under attack

Around the world, at least 625 human rights defenders and media workers were killed or disappeared in 2024, OHCHR has reported.  

“That is one every 14 hours,” the human rights chief said.  

In many places around the world, civil society and the media are being vilified, harassed and silenced; yet it is civil society and the media who play a vital role holding power to account.  

As investigating and reporting human rights abuses and violations are necessary tools to mitigate conflict and build peace, Mr. Türk said he was “deeply disturbed” by attacks on the international institutions, including the International Criminal Court (ICJ).  

“Sanctioning judges and prosecutors at national, regional or international levels, for doing their jobs, is an assault on the rule of law and corrodes justice,” he said.  

Persecuted minorities

From anti-immigrant rhetoric to hate speech targeting the LGBTIQ+ community, one in five people across 119 countries reported experiencing discrimination in the past year, OHCHR said.  

“Discrimination is neither rare nor random, it is widespread,” said Mr. Türk.  

For instance, data gathered by the UN shows that women face discrimination at more than double the level experienced by men.  

Highlighting the war on women and girls in Afghanistan, the de facto authorities continue to enforce a systematic policy of erasing women and girls from public life, he continued.  

In these troubled times, “we need governments and societies to stand up for human rights, in word and deed,” concluded Mr. Türk.  

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